Brian Faulkner

Brian Faulkner (18 February 1921-3 March 1977) was Prime Minister of Northern Ireland from 23 March 1971 to 30 March 1972, succeeding James Chichester-Clark; from 1 January to 28 May 1974, he served as the sole Chief Executive of Northern Ireland. He was a member of the Ulster Unionist Party.

Biography
Brain Faulkner was born in Helen's Bay, County Down, Northern Ireland in 1921, and he was educated in Dublin and Belfast. He worked in his father's business during World War II, and he became a member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for the Ulster Unionist Party in 1949. As Minister for Home Affairs from 1959 to 1963, he was influential in defeating the IRA's campaign begun in 1956. As Minister of Development under James Chichester-Clark, he appeared to be a modernized, an impression he underlined by including (for the first time ever) a Catholic in his Cabinet upon becoming Prime Minister in March 1971. However, his term in office saw huge increases in sectarian violence, and he angered nationalists by introducing internment without trial in August 1971. In March 1972, he lost office when direct rule was imposed from Westminster. His subsequent support for power-sharing between Protestants and Catholics lost him the support of the UUP, forcing him to resign as leader in 1974. He retired from politics in 1976.